The focus of this research is the use of yeast strains to express enzymes of general utility in organic synthesis. The specific oxidative enzymes to be studied include cyclohexanone monooxygenase, flavin monooxygenase and cytochrome P-450's. These enzymes will not require cofactors and will be the equivalent of a chiral m-chloroperoxybenzoic acid in a form that will be as easy to use as the achiral reagent itself. They will be applicable to carry out such transformations as olefin epoxidations, thioether oxidations (to chiral sulfoxides) and Baeyer-Villiger reactions. With this award the Synthetic Organic Program is supporting the research of Dr. Jon D. Stewart of the Department of Chemistry of the University of Florida. Professor Stewart will focus his work on yeast-expressed enzymes designed to carry out enantioselective reactions in organic synthesis. Besides formation of optically active products which are useful for the preparation of stereochemically complex systems that have important biological properties, these enzymes all use molecular oxygen, rather than an organic oxidant, which makes them attractive from both an economic and environmental standpoint
